Diagnostics
In combination with their role in therapeutics, STAMPs are well-suited for development as diagnostic tools, as they contain a targeting domain that specifically binds to a pathogenic organism of interest. By using targeting domains we can detect specific microbial pathogens from environmental, clinical, and defined polymicrobial communities (Fig. 1). After identification of the microbe present, STAMPs or other treatment strategies can be tailored to combat the identified microbe.
Figure 1. Isolation of specific bacteria from a mixed community
Targeting peptides were immobilized on a surface and used to isolate
fluorescently labeled bacteria from a mixed population. The control
surface on the left had no peptide on it resulting in low numbers of
various species of bacteria in the population being isolated. [Copyright © C3 Jian, Inc. 2009]
Figure 2. Specific labeling of bacteria in a saliva biofilm
The inset image shows a typical salivary biofilm. After labeling the
biofilm with a fluorescently labeled targeting peptide, the targeted
bacteria are specifically labeled (green) while the rest of the biofilm
remains unstained. [Copyright © C3 Jian, Inc. 2009]
In addition to diagnostics for infectious disease, C3 peptides have shown promise as in vivo imaging agents to detect sites of inappropriate calcification, such as arterial pre-calcification (Fig. 3), implant infections, osteomyelitis, osteosarcoma and other diseases.
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Food Safety
- Agriculture
Figure 3. In vivo imaging of arterial calcification with C3 diagnostic
peptide
The image on the left is a standard x-ray image of a heart and
ascending and descending aorta from a mouse model of arterial calcification. The image
on the right is the same tissue, stained with fluorescently labeled C3 peptide and
imaged by whole-animal in vivo fluorescence. The degree of calcification is too slight
to be detectable by x-ray, while it is clearly visible in the fluorescence image.
[Copyright © C3 Jian, Inc. 2009]
